5 Ways to Help Your Loved one Fight Drug Addiction

Few things can be quite as devastating as learning that someone you love has a drug addiction problem. There’s no getting around the fact that recovery is going to be long and brutal. But it is possible. Whether you’re a friend or family member, you want to want to do all you can to make sure your loved one has the best chance at recovery. Here are five meaningful ways to help make this happen:

Be sure

If you’re not sure about the symptoms or signs, you might be mistaking it for something else. Leave no room for doubt. Identify the problem first. You won’t be able to offer the kind of help and assistance that’s really needed if you aren’t at all certain of what you’re dealing with in the first place. Being on the lookout for signs and symptoms such as sleep problems, bad breath, shakes and tremors, or sudden weight loss—all potential signs of drug addiction, says WebMD—can help.

Be supportive

When you find out your loved one has drug addiction problems, ensuring that they have your support is crucial in their recovery. So be available, says Life Hack. Be emotionally present. The more friends and family believe in a recovering addict, the deeper their motivation gets. Recovering addicts that have a supportive network of friends and family and have healthy relationships have a better chance of living a sober life than those who don’t. Nothing beats love, support, compassion and support.

Help them explore treatment options

Encourage your loved one to get help. Help them look for treatment facilities and programs that would provide customized care to its patients. Depending on how far gone your loved one is in terms of his addiction, opting for in-patient drug rehab centers for intensive therapy can be the better solution. This is especially true if your loved one is already suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms. Make sure the in-patient facility has everything your loved one needs—24/7 medical assistance—for a full recovery.

Encourage them to seek out aftercare services

The healing doesn’t end when the rehabilitation or treatment program ends. So don’t be complacent about treatment, says Psych Central. Constantly encourage your loved one to attend meetings and appointments. This will help prevent a relapse from happening.

Don’t look at relapse as the ultimate failure

Recovery is tough. You’ll need to be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared for it. You’ll need to be prepared in case your loved one suffers from a relapse. Don’t treat it like it’s the end of the world. It’s not. Your loved one might not get it right the first time. And that’s okay. Help your loved one get back on the horse and try again. Relapses might throw hurdles in your way but don’t let them get the best of you and your loved one’s recovery.

Shubhi Gupta

I am a freelance author and writes for a variety of online publications like Wamda.com and Launch.it. She actively writes blogs and articles related to health, technology and fitness. When she’s not working, she likes to cook, dance and travel.

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